under the Power of the promise we begin then to know that we are in that same Covenant But this is rather say they to feel our selves in that Covenant which God hath made with Christ than to enter into Covenant with God our selves 2. Others argue hence that there is no Covenant or promise made with Christ personal but only with Christ mystical such who are members of Christ and so united to Christ for mark the Text say they the promise is made first to Abraham and then to his seed this seed is such a seed as comes to have right to the promise in order from Abraham now this cannot be Christ personal but Christ mystical And whereas the Text sayes the promise is not made to seeds but to one seed which is Christ John 8 37 Gal. 37.29 they distinguish of a double seed of Abraham First there is a carnal natural seed according to the flesh and in this sense Christ speaks to those wicked unbelieving Jewes which went about to kill him I know ye are Abrahams seed but ye seek to kill me Secondly there is a spiritual seed that walk in the faith steps of Abraham know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham And if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise now the promise is made to Abraham and his seed not seeds i.e. not to both seeds both carnal and spiritual but only to the one which is the spiritual and this seed is Christ i.e. Christ mystical the body of Christ the faithful that are knit to Christ by a true and lively faith 3. Others argue hence that this Covenant is made both betwixt God and Christ and betwixt God and us First betwixt God and Christ all the work of redemption and salvation was transacted betwixt God and Christ before the foundation of the world but this doth not hinder but that the same promise is afterwards in time made to us also Look as it is in Covenants amongst men while the child is yet unborn the father takes conveyance of an inheritance for his child which he keeps in his own hand till the child be born and come to years and then he puts it into his own possession so it is here we are for a time hid in the womb of Gods Election till we are brought forth by the grace of regeneration now during this time we are not in our selves capable of receiving any promise of life made to us but it is made to Christ in our behalf and he receives the promise from the Father in our stead but yet so that when we come to be born anew the promises are made unto our selves and then we are put into possession of them Here then is the meaning of the Text the Covenant is made with Christ i.e. with Christ and his heirs principally with Christ and with Abrahams nature in Christ and yet personally with believers who are also the seed of Abraham All the difference is in that terme Christ what thereby is meant whether Christ personal or Christ mystical or Christ representative And we say 1. Not Christ personal I mean not Christs person singly considered for that 1. Would fight with the scope of Paul whose bent it is to prove the promise of eternal life to be made to all believers and that 2. ver 17. veâ— 8. ver 14. ver 13. Would conclude the promise of eternal life to be given onely to Christ and not at all to those that are believers in Christ 2. Not Christ Mystical for 1. The promise is made to Christ In whom the Covenant was confirmed 2. In whom the nations were blessed 3. In whom we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith 4. Who was made a curse for us Now not any of these can agree to Christ mystical Christ mystical did not confirme the Covenant nor bless the Nations nor give the Spirit nor was made a curse 3. It is Christ representative Christ-Mediatour Christ a publick person to whom the promises were made for Christ and his heirs are but all of them one confederate family and as the Covenant of works was made with Adam and all his and there were not two Covenants so here the Covenant is made with the second Adam and his children But every man in his own order Christ the first-fruits 1 Cor. 15.23 and afterwards they that are Christs I have now propounded the Object we are to look unto it is Jesus in that eternity before all time untill the Creation Our next business is to direct us in the Art or Mystery of Grace how we are to look unto him in this respect CHAP. II. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus carrying on the Great work of our Salvation in that Eternity LOoking comprehends knowing considering desiring hoping believing loving joying calling upon Jesus and conforming to Jesus If then we will have an inward experimental Look upon Jesus we must act and exercise all these particulars 1. We must know Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation in that eternity before all time Come learn what this Jesus is 1. In his relation to God and so he is Gods Son eternally begotten before all worlds See above and learn it throughly who it is that was begotten for the person when it was for the time how it was for the manner and what was the mutual kindness and love of him that begot and of him that was begotten O the height and depth of this knowledge 2. Come learn what this Jesus is in his relation to us before all worlds and to that purpose study close that great transaction betwixt God and Christ for our salvation 1. Study that project of God that he would glorifie his grace and to this end that he would predestinate Christ and in Christ he would choose some of the souls of men and amongst the rest that he would choose thee whom notwithstanding sin he would make holy and without blame before him in love 2. Study the counsels of God concerning man before all worlds O 't was an hard question how sin should be pardoned the sinner reconciled and yet God glorifie his justice none but the wisdome of God could ever find out a way to have had mercy on the man and yet to take vengeance on the sin but herein appeared the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God he devised the way to translate this mans sin suppose thine own sins on anothers person who was able to bear them to interest this mans person suppose thine own self in anothers righteousness who was able to cover him 3. Study the foreknowledge of God how the Lord knew his from everlasting with a knowledge of love and approbation after the project was laid and the counsels of God were agreed upon it then God fore-knew or fore-saw whom to imbrace in his eternal love And O my soul if thou art one of
the next Sections SECT II. Of the Covenant of promise as manifested to Adam THe Covenant of grace in this sense is nothing else but a compact made betwixt God and man touching reconciliation and life Eternal by Christ Now the first breaking forth of this gracious Covenant was to Adam and Eve immediatly after the fall expressed in these words I will put enmity between thee and the woman Gen 3 19. and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel This promise as it is the first so the hardest to be understood it contains in it good news of the overthrow of Satans Kingdome and of mans freedom by the death of Christ But the obscurity is such that Luther exceedingly complains Textus qui omnibus debebat esse notissimus a nemine quod ego sciam diligentor accurate explicatus c. Luther Gen. 3.14 the Text which of all men should rightly be known is of no man that I know saith he especially and accurately unfolded amongst the Antients there is not one that hath explicated this Text according to the dignity of it The occasion was this The Lord looking down from heaven and seeing how Satan had prevailed against man and in some sort undone the whole fabrick of the creation he resolves upon Satans ruine and mans preservation And the Lord God said unto the Serpent because thou hast done this thou art cursed This literally is understood of the Serpent but Spiritually of the Devil both were as means to draw man unto sin and therefore they are joyned as one in the punishment The Lord cut off the feet of the Serpent say the Rabbies and cursed him R. Eliezer c. 14. and he cast Samael the Devil and his company out of heaven cursed them Indeed man being in the transgression must also have his punnishment as it follows vers 17 18 19. and yet that God might manifest the riches of his grace he includes in the Serpents malediction this everlasting Gospel I will put enmity between thee and the woman c. For the sense of the Words we shall open these termes as 1. Who is the Serpent 2. Who is the woman 3. What is the seed of the Serpent 4 What is the seed of the woman 5. What is that Hu in our Bible translated it 6. What is the Serpents head and the bruising of it 7. What is the heel of the seed of the woman and the bruising of it 8. Amongst whom was the enmity or rather enmities for in the Text we find many Armies I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed c. 1. Who is the Serpent I find diversity of opinions among Interpreters Some say it was onely the Serpent and that which belongs unto Satan is but mystically understood others say it was onely Sathan under the notion of a Serpent as sometimes he is called the great Dragon And the great Dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the Devil Rev. 12.9 and Satan which deceived the whole world Others say it was both Satan and the Serpent as men are said to be possessed of Satan so was the Serpent possessed of the Devil Satan could not provoke our first parents to sin by any inward temptation as now he doth by the help of our corruption nor could he enter into their bodies or minds because of the holiness and glory that was in them and therefore he presumed to take a beast of the earth and by disposing of his Tongue he speaks within him But what must the Serpent have punishment that was only Satans instrument in the temptation yes Such was Gods love to man that he condemns both the Author and instrument of that that evil as one that in anger breaks the sword wherewith his son or his friend was wounded so Gods breaks Satans sword the Serpent is punnished according to the letter of the Text and Satan is punished in the spiritual meaning of the Lord. Who is the woman Some are all for Allegories and thy will tell you that the Serpent and the Woman are the superiour inferiour faculties of the Soul and that ever since the Fall there hath been a continual War betwixt these but I look at this Commentary as vain and trifling though it be fathered on some of the Antients and of no small note others say this Woman is the Blessed Virgin in relation to which they read the last words thus she shall bruise thy head this reading is not only allowed but confirmed by the Councel of Trent and in some of their Prayer-books thy call her The Mother of the Lord the Tree of Life the breaker of the Serpents head and the Gate of Heaven But I look on this Commentary as ignorant Idolatrous Antiphona de domina nostra secundum usum Eccles Hildenshem and wholly derogatory to the Kingdom of Christ Others are not so easily mislead and therefore say that the Woman wheresoever mentioned in this Text is Eve and none but Eve she it was whom the tempter had seduced and in just judgment for her familiarity with the tempter God meets with her I will put enmity saith God between thee and the Woman 3. What is the Seed of the Serpent in Scripture phrase Seed is sometimes taken collectively for many at once as when the Lord said to Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed Gen. 17 17 18 and to thee and thy Seed will I give this Land and I will multiply thy Seed as the sand of the Sea and sometimes it is taken singularly for one only person thus Eve called her Son Seth for God said she hath appointed me another Seed instead of Abel Gen. 4.25 Gen. 22.18 and so it is said of Christ in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Now in this place the Seed of the Serpent is taken collectively for all the families of Devils Mat. 25.4 for the Devil and his Angels as Christ calls them and for all the Sons of the Devil i. for all reprobate men whose Father and Prince is the Devil as Christ told the Jews ye are of your Father the Devil John 8 44 and the lusts of your Father ye will do and as John tells us 1 John 3 8 10 he that committeth sin is of the Devil in this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil and thus both Devils and reprobates are reckoned as the seed of the Serpent 4. What is the Seed of the Woman The Seed of the Woman is that posterity of the Woman which do not degenerate into the Seed of the Serpent that is the meaning of the first sentence I will put enmity and then it follows between thy Seed and her Seed and for this sense we have these arguments 1. The opposition of the Seeds for as the Seed of the Serpent is taken collectively
this faith accompanied with works observe but saith the Apostle when God bade him offer his son Jam. 2.23 compared with 21.22 did he not do it and was not that an exceeding great work surely his faith wrought with his works and by faith was his works made perfect 7. Who is the head both as undertaker and purchaser and treasurer upon whom this Covenant is established 2 Cor. 1.20 I answer Christ and none but Christ All the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen unto the glory of God by us This was very darkly held forth in the first manifestation of the Covenant to Adam but now in this second breaking forth of it it is very fully expressed and often repeated thus Gen. 12.3 Gen. 12 3 in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed and Gen. 18.18 Gen. 18.18 all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in Abraham and Gen 22.18 Gen. 22.18 See the same in Gen. 26.4 and 28.14 in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed In comparing these texts we have a clear understanding thereof in thee in Abraham shall all the families and nations of the earth be blessed but lest Abraham himself should be thought author of this universall blessing therefore is the explication in thee i. in thy seed Gal. 3 16 and this seed saith the Apostle very expressely is Jesus Christ now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ So then here is the sense out of thy posterity shall spring the Messiah by whom not only thy posterity but all the nations of the earth shall be blessed You may remember in the first promise Christ was called the seed of the woman but now the seed of Abraham Christ was the Son of Eve or if you will the Son of Mary and so the seed of the woman and Mary was a daughter of Abraham and so Christ and Mary and all upwards were of the seed of Abraham But where shall we find mention of the passion of Christ in this expressure of his Covenant to Abraham in the first manifestation it was included in that phrase of bruising his heel and surely this is essential to the covenant of grace in any overture of it some answer that this is thrice put on in the passage of this covenant with Abraham Gen. 15.17 first in the federal confirmation by the smâ—aking furnace and burning lamp that passed between those pieces of the sacrifice as the sacrifice was divided so was Christs body torn and as the smoaking furnace and burning lamp passed between the divided pieces so the wrath of God run betwixt as I may say and yet did not consume the rent and torn nature of Christ Gen. 17.10 11 2. In that federal confirmation by the sign of circumcision there could not be circumcision without shedding of blood and where God commands shedding of blood in any of his antient ordinances it doth certainly reach to the blood of Christ and his everlasting testament 3. In the resolved Sacrifice of Isaac which was a plain type of the death of Christ See it in these particulars 1. Isaac was Abraham's son his only son his innocent son Gen. 2â— 10 the beloved son of his Father and yet Abraham freely offers up his son so Christ was the son of God his only Son his innocent son like to us in all things sin only excepted and the beloved son of his Father this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and yet God more freely offers up his Son out of his own bosome 2. Abraham by Gods commission rose early in the morning to sacrifice his Son and the Jews by Gods permission rise early in the morning to condemn the Son of God and hence he is called the Hind of the morning Psa 22.1 compassed with dogs that hunted and pursued his life 3. Abraham must offer his Son upon the Mount the very Mount on which Solomon's Temple was built John 2.19 which typified the body of Jesus Christ Joh. 2.19 So God offered his Son upon the Mount if not on the same Mount as Augustine thinks yet on a Mount not far distant from it Golgotha was the very skirt of Moriah the one being within the gate of the City and the other not far without the very nearest to the City of all 4. Abraham first laid the wood on Isaac and then he laid Isaac on the wood so God first layes the Cross on Christ Joh. 19.17 18 He bearing his Cross went forth into a place called the place of a skul and then he layes Christ on the Cross there they crucified him saith John or there they bound him to the Cross and fastned his hands and feet thereto with nails 5. Isaac must be offered alone the servants must stay at the foot of the hill little knowing the business and sorrow in hand Isa 63.3 so Christ must tread the wine press alone the disciples fear and fly and little consider the agony of their Master 6. Abraham carries in his hand the sword and fire against his Son so God carries in his hand the sword and fire the sword signifying the Justice of God the fire his burning wrath against the sins of men and both these were bent against Christ in whom the justice of God is satisfied and the flame of his wrath extinct and quenched Gen. â—2 16 17 18. That this was a plain type of Christs passion is hinted at in the blessing that God speaks to Abraham after this tryal by my self have I sworn saith the Lord for because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son that in blessing I will bless thee and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed All believers are blessed in the death of Christ who was that seed of Abraham typified by Isaac Abrahams Son for as Abraham intended so God truely sacrificed his Son his onely Son to take away sin Thus far of the Covenant of promise as it was manifested from Abraham to Moses SECT IV. Of the Covenant of promise as manifested to Moses THe next breaking forth of this gracious Covenant was to Moses The revenging justice of God had now seized on mankind for many generations even thousands of years so that now it was high time for God in the midst of wrath to remember mercy and to break out into a clearer expression of the promise or Covenant of grace To this purpose the Lord calls up Moses to Mount Sinai and there of his infinite love and undeserved mercy he makes or renews his Covenant with him and the children of Israel I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Exod. 20.2 thou shalt have no other gods before me For the right
a Covenant of grace which runs in this tenor I will be your God aâ—d you shall be my people my peculiar treasure a Kingdom of Priests an holy Nation if you will but hear and obey my Commandments Surely these priviledges could never have been obtained by a Covenant of works what to be a Kingdom of Priests an holy Nation a peculiar treasure to the Lord what to be beloved of God as a desirable treasure for so it is in the original which a King delivers not into the hands of any of his Officers but keepeth it to himself this cannot be of works No no these are priviledges vouchsafed of meer grace in Jesus Christ and therefore Peter applyes this very promise to the people of God under the Gospel 1 Pet. 2.9 1 Pet. 2.9 2. It appears by that contract betwixt God and Israel in the promulgation of the Law then it was that God proclaimed himself to be the God of Israel saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of bondage Some hold this to be the affirmative part of the first Commandment in which the Gospel is preached and the promises therein contained are offered We say it is a preface to the whole Law prefixed as a reason to perswade obedience to every Commandment But all universally acknowledge that it is a free Covenant which promiseth pardon of sin and requireth faith in the Messiah when God saith to Israel I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt doth he not propound himself as their King Judg Saviour and Redeemer Yea and spiritual Redeemer from their bondage of sin and Satan whereof that temporal deliverance from Egypt was truly a type the Lord begins his commandments with an evangelical promise and it is very observable that as these words I am the Lord thy God are prefixed immediatly to the first Commandment so in sundry places of Scripture they are annexed to all the rest ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths Lev. 19.3.11 12.16 18. I am the Lord your God ye shall not steal neither deal falsely neither lie one to another and ye shall not swear by my Name falsely neither shalt thou profane the Name of thy God I am the Lord. Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neigbour I am the Lord. In a word thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self I am the Lord or if that contain only the second Table therefore shall ye observe all my statutes and all my judgments and do them I am the Lord. Add we to this 37. that in the second Commandment God is described to be one shewing mercy unto thousands all which must needs argue the Law to be a Covenant of grace 3. It appears by the Contract betwixt God and Israel after the promulgation of the Law is it not plainly expressed by Moses Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his wayes and to keep his statutes and Commandments And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldst keep his commandments Yea and after this in the Land of Moah Deut. 26.17 18. Moses was commanded by the Lord to make a Covenant with the children of Israel besides the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb now this was the very same that God made with them on Sinai only it must be renewed and it is expresly said ye stand this day to enter into a Covenant with the Lord your God Deut. 29.12 13. That he may establish you to be a people unto himself and that he may be a God unto you as he had sworn to Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Surely this must needs be a Covenant of grace how should it be but of grace that God promised to be the God of Israel here are many sweet precious promises and they are all free and gracious and therefore we conclude the Law in the sense aforesaid to be a Covenant of grace 4. Why should God in the Law deal with us in a Covenant-way rather than a meer absolute supream way I answer 1. In respect of God it was his pleasure in giving the Law not only to manifest his Wisdom and Power and Soveraignty but his faithfulness and truth and love and the glory of his grace Rom. 9. 1 Joh. 4.8 that he might make known as the Apostle speaks the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory Gods love is apart of his name for God is love and Gods faithfulness is a part of his name I saw Heaven opened said John in a vision and behold a white horse Rev. 19.11 he that sate upon him was called faithful and true now how should we ever have known Gods love at least in such a measure or how should we ever have known Gods faithfulness truth at all if he had not entered into a Covenant with us it is true if he had given the Law in a meer absolute supreme way if he had given the precept without any promise he might fully have discovered his illimited supream power but his so dear love and faithfulness could not have been known now therefore let the world take notice of his singular love and of his faithfulness as Moses said to Israel Because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the hands of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh â—t 7.8 9. King of Egypt Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments to a thousand generations 2. In respect of us God would rather deal with us in a covenant-way than in a meer absolute supream way upon these grounds 1. That he might bind us the faster to himself a covenant binds on both parts the Lord doth not bind himself to us and leave us free No I will bring you saith God into the bond of the Covenant â— 20.37 The Lord sees how slippery and unstable our hearts are how apt we are to start aside from our duty towards him we love to wander and therefore to prevent this inconstancy and unsetledness in us 〈◊〉 14.10 and to keep our hearts more stable in our obedient walking before him it pleased the Lord to bind us in the bond of Covenant that as we look for a blessing from God so we look to it to keep Covenant with God you may say a command binds as well as a Covenant it is true but a Covenant doth as it were twist the cords of the Law and double the precept upon the soul when it is only a precept then God alone
stepped in he will not leave man without hope he tells the Devil who begun this mischief I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel At the very instant when God was pronouncing judgment upon the several delinquents in the fall nay before judgment was pronounced on the persons tempted Jesus is hinred the Covenant of grace is proclaimed O the infinite riches of the mercy of God in Christ But you will say how comes Jesus in how carried he on the great work of our salvation in this dark time I answer 1. By assuming and taking upon him the form and shape of man and so discharging some special offices in that respect We read often of Christs apparition before his Incarnation and then especially when he had to do with this great Negoâ—iation of mans Eternal happiness Some think it not improbable that Christ assumed the form of man when he first created man and so he made man not only in his own image which he had as God In holiness and true righteousness but in respect of that form which he had assumed Howsoever this we find that after man had sinned Christ then appeared first to Adam then to Abraham then to Isaac then to Jacob then to Moses c. first he appeared to Adam in the garden and they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day God as he is God hath neither voice to speak nor seet to walk but assuming the form and shape of a man he exercised both and so he was the first that published that first promise to the World It shall bruise thy head 2. He appeared to Abraham in the plain of Mamre where the Lord talked with Abraham and Abraham calls him the Judge of all the Earth which can be ascribed to none but Christ the Judge of quick and dead Some from that saying of Christ your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad do gather that Abraham saw Christ not only with the eyes of faith as all the rest of the Patriarchs and Prophets did but also in a visible shape which he assumed like unto that whereunto he was afterwards to be united And so it was Christ that renewed the Covenant with Abraham saying I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee 3. He appeared to Isaac Gen. 26.2 and to Jacob Gen. 32.24 30. and to Moses Exod. 20.1 2 3. and to many others of which I shall comment in order And these apparitions of Christ were as praeludiums of his Incarnation But this is not the way I shall insist upon 2. Christ carried on the great work of our salvation in that dark time not by himself exhibited as when he was Incarnate but onely promised The great King would first have his Harbingers to lead the way before he himself would come in person As the Lord had observed this method in creating the World that first he would have darkness and then light and as still he observes this method in upholding the world that first he will have dawning and then clear day so in the framing and upholding of his Church he will first have Christ held forth in Ceremonies Rites Figures Types Promises Covenants and then like a glorious Sun or like the day-spring from on high he would visit the world to give light to them that sit in darkness To this purpose we read that as Christ so the Covenant of grace which applies Christ to us was first promised and then promulgated the Covenant of promise was that Covenant which God made with Adam and Abraham and Moses and David and all Israel in Jesus Christ to be Incarnate crucified and risen from the dead and it was meet that the promise should go before the Gospel and be fulfilled in the Gospel that so a great good might earnestly be desired before it was bestowed In a time of darkness men desire light as the morning-watch watcheth and longeth for the morning so the obscure revelation of Christ in a promise raised the hearts of the Patriarchs to an earnest desire of Christ his coming in the flesh But in this obscurity we may observe some degrees before the Law given by Moses the promise was more obscure the Law being given even to the time of the Prophets the promise was a little more clear in the time of the Prophets even to John the Baptist it was clearer yet as the coming of the messias did approach nearer and nearer so was the promise clearer and clearer still Just as the approach of the Sun is nearer or further off so is the light that goes before it greater or lesser In like manner was the Revelation that went before Christ more dim or clear as the rising of the Sun of righteousness was more remote or nigh at hand It was the good pleasure of God to manifest the riches of his grace by degrees and not all at once we see to this very day that God in his several approaches of mercy and goodness draws nearer and nearer to his Church Even now in this marvellous light of the Gospel we have our divine Ceremonies and Sacraments we see him afar off we know but in part but time shall come even before his second coming that we or our children shall see him more clearly perfectly immediatly My present businesse is to hold forth Jesus in the Covenant of grace as promised and because the promise receives distinction of degrees according to the several breakings out of it to the dark world we will consider it as it was manifested 1. From Adam till Abraham 2. From Abraham till Moses 3. From Moses till David 4. From David till the Babylonish Captivity or thereabout 5. From the Captivity or thereabout till Christ In every of these periods will appear some further and further discoveries of Gods mercy in Christ of the Covenant of grace of our Jesus carrying on the great work of mans Eternal salvation in that dark time You heard before of the Covenant betwixt God and Christ concerning our salvation but that was not the Covenant of grace which God immediately made with man as fallen but a particular Covenant with Christ to be the Mediator Or so far as it was a Covenant of grace it was then made betwixt God and Christ and after to be made betwixt God and us for a time we were hid in the womb of Gods Election and not being then capable to enter into Covenant with God Christ undertook for us but yet so that when we come to be regenerate we are then to strike Covenant our selves And hence we read expresly of Gods Covenanting with sundry particular persons as with Adam and Abraham and Moses and David c. Of which in
so the Seed of the Woman must be taken collectively that the opposition may be fit 2. The enmities fore-spoken do strongly evince it now the enmities pertain both to Eve and to all her posterity if godly to the end of the world hence all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.18 And I will put enmity saith God between thee the woman is that all no but also between thy Seed and her Seed and who can deny but these enmities have been ever since betwixt Satans brood and the Saints we are all wrestlers against Principalities and Powers and Rulers of the darkness of this World Ephes 6.12 and against spiritual wickednesses in high places 5. What is that Hu in our Bible translated it it shall bruise thy head Some observe this Hu it is of the masculine gender and Zera Seed is of the masculine gender Jesaphera shall bruise is of the masculine gender which confutes the Translation that renders it thus she shal bruise thy head and which confirms our Translation which is thus he or it or that same Seed i. one singular person of that same Seed shall bruise thy head Well then who is this he or what one is he even Jesus the Son of the Living God Here is the first hint of Jesus that ever was read or heard of in this world This was the Proto-evangel or first Gospel that ever was published after the Creation O blessed news fit for Gods mouth to speak and to break first to the world now fallen O dear parents how would you have dispaired if before sentence you had not heard this blessed tydings O our first Parents upon Earth where had you and we been if this blessed Text had not been Come set a Star upon it write it in letters of Gold or rather write it on the very Tables of our Hearts here is the blessedst news that ever was or ever shall be but for this we had been all Fire-brands of Hell yea but for this Adam and Eve and all their Sons and Daughters that are now gone out of this World had been smoaking and frying in Hell-fire Away with all gross mistakes Erroneous conceits and as you love your Souls yeild to this blessed sense This it or he is one of that same Seed and this one of that same seed is Jesus and only Jesus and none but Jesus and for this sense we have these arguments 1. Some observe that this Sentence is separated from the former with a Period or great stop however God goes on to speak of the Seed of the Woman yet he says not and that Seed shall bruise thy head for so we might have thought he had spoken of that Seed collectively as he did before but stopping there and not repeating the same word again he gives it thus it or he shall bruise thy head i. some individual person of that same Seed some singular one of that same common Seed of the Woman shall bruise thy head as David alone of all the Host of Israel goes forth to fight with Goliah and overcomes him so Christ alone of all the Seed of the Woman was so to fight with the Serpent by his own power as to overcome him and to bruise his head 2. The Seventy in their Translations of this place with which agrees the Chaldee Paraphrast renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he which needs most denote some singular person or Son of the woman and the rather because the Seed spoken of before is rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which if the relative had rightly agreed it should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hereto we may add that to this it or he the Seed of the Serpent is not opposed as it was in the former sentence but the Serpent it self one singular Antagonist here is singularis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a duel or a combate of two hand to hand only Christand the Serpent he shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel 3. The bruising of the head doth plainly discover this it or he is Jesus Christ for non can bruise the Serpents head but only God the God of peace saith the Apostle shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Now there was none of the Seed of the Woman Rom. 16.10 that was ever God but only Christ God-Man Man-God blessed for ever and therefore it must needs be Christ and only Christ that can bruise this Serpents head O there 's a Divine Power a power and vertue of God in it to bruise the Serpents head observe but the manner of this Duel Christ treads on the Serpent and by this means he comes to have a bruise in the heel whilst with his heel he bruiseth the Serpents head a wonderful thing that Christ should lay at the Serpents head with no other weapon but only with his heel it were much for any man to strike at any common Serpent with a bare and naked foot rather would he take a dart or club or any other Weapon but with a foot to bruise Satans head that great and fierce and monsterous Serpent this exceeds any mans power or any mans daring to attempt hence it is that some one person of more than human strength must do this deed and who is that of the Seed of the Woman but only Jesus Christ 4. God himself in other places of Scripture doth expresly declare that this Seed here promised is Christ and only Christ mark but where this promise is repeated to the Patriarches as when the Lord said to Abraham Gen. 22.18 in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed and when the Lord said to David I will raise up thy Seed after thee which shall be of thy Sons and I will establish his Kingdom 1 Chro. 17.11 and you may see it clear that this Seed is Christ and only Christ concerning that promise to Abraham the Apostle so interprets it now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not Gal. 3.16 and to Seeds as of many but as of one and to thy Seed which is Christ and concerning that promise to David the Prophet so interprets it He shall sit upon the Throne of David Isa 9.6 7 and upon his Kingdom to order it to establish it who is that in the former verse his name is Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace i. Christ and none but Christ for unto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given c. and who is that but Jesus Christ 5. The accomplishment of this Promise in Christ is expresly and clearly made out in the New Testament Was not Jesus Christ of the Seed of the Woman born of a Virgin was not his heel bruised himself Crucified and did he not bruise the Serpents head break the Power and
Dominion of Satan What saith the Gospel 1 John 3.8 Luk 10 17 18 19. for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil And the seventy returned again with joy saying Lord even the Devils are subject unto us through thy Name and he said unto them I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven behold I give unto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you Joh. 12.31 Heb. 2.14 And now is the judgment of this world now shall the Prince of this world be cast out And for as much as children are partakers of flesh and blood He also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil In these and many other places we find this very promise fulfilled in Christ and only in Christ and therefore he and only he is the Seed of the Woman that Hu it or he that shall bruise the Serpents head Yet I will not deny but by way of participation this promise may pertain to the whole Body of Christ Rom. 8 37 Through him that loved us we are more than Conquerours saith the Apostle we may Conquer Satan though not in our own strength but Christs and so in a secondary sense by way of communication with Christ under this Seed all the faithful are and may be contained 1. Because the Head and Members are all one Body Heb. 2.11 Isa 53.10 both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one 2. Because the faithful are called the seed of Christ when thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed 3. Because Sathan doth not only bruise the heel of Christ but of all the faithful 2 Tim. â— 12 Rom. 16.20 all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 4. Because Satans overthrow by Christ our Head is diffused to all the Members and the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly In this sence many of the ancient and modern Divines do extend this seed to the whole Body of Christ but primarily originally especially and properly it belongs only to Christ and to none but the Lord Jesus Christ He only is the seed by whom the promise is accomplished though the faithful also are the seed to whom and for whom the promise was made 6. What is the Serpents head and the bruising of it 1. For the Serpents head it is the power rage reigne and Kingdom of Satan It is observed that in the head of a Serpent lies the strength power and life of a Serpent so by a phraise of speech fitted to the condition of this Serpent that was Satans instrument God tels the Devil of the danger of his head i.e. of his power and Kingdom now this power and Kingdom of Satan consists more especially in sin and death for the sting of death is sin and the power of death is in Satan 2 Cor. 15.26 Heb. 2.14 Hence sin and death are usually called the works and wages of Satan they are his own he owns them and carries them at his girdle 2. For the bruising of this head it is the overthrowing of Satans power he shall bruise thy head i.e. Christ shall break thy power Christ shall destroy sin and death and him that had the power of death that is the Devil 1 Joh. 2.13 I say Christ shall do it though as I have said in a secondary sense the faithful shall do it Christ overcomes by his own power and the faithfull overcome by the power of Christ the victory is common to all the seed but the Author of victory is only Christ the Head and chief of all the seed Rom. 16.20 ye have overcome the evil one but how not of your selves no it is the God of peace that bruiseth Satan Well then here is the sense the Serpents head is bruised i.e. the Devil and sin and death and hell are overthrown not only the Devil in his person but the works of the Devil which by the fall he had planted in our natures as pride vain glory ignorance lust c. nor only Satans works but the fruits and effects of his works as Death and Hell so that all the faithfull may sing with Paul O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory thanks be to God which giveth us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Cor. 15 5â— 57. 7. What is the heel of the seed of the woman and the bruising of it 1. For the heel it is the humanity of Christ according to which properly Christ hath an heel Or as others it is the wayes of Christ which Satan by all the means he could possibly would seek to suppress 2. For the bruising of his heel it is the miseries mockings woundings Death and Burial of Christ all which he endured in his heel i.e. in his humanity or it extends further to all the hurts reproaches afflictions persecutions of the faithful by the Devil and his agents all which are but as a bruise in the heel which cannot endanger the spiritual life of their souls It is observed that the Serpent hath but one head but the seed of the woman hath two heels so that the one may be some help while the other is hurt besides an hurt in the heel is far from the head and heart and though it may be painful it is not mortal Indeed Christs heel was bruised i.e. He was delivered to death even to the death of the Cross yet he rose again from the dead neither had the Devil any advantage by his death for as angry Bees stinging once make themselves droanes so the Devil now he may hiss at us but he cannot hurt us by that wound which Christ received at his death he wounded all his enemies irrecoverably the very sight it self was Christs triumph even then was the Kingdom of darkness utterly overthrown sin death and Satan were conquered and taken captive and whatsoever might be brought against us was taken away as the least bill or scroll O blessed riddle Judg. 14.14 Out of the Eater came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetness In reference to the promise thou shalt bruise his heel Rev. 13.8 Christ is said to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Here 's good news betimes 8. Amongst whom was the enmity or this hostile war we find in the Text three Hosts and three battels As 1. Betwixt Satan and the woman I will put enmity between thee and the woman i.e. Betwixt thee the seducer and her whom thou hast seduced This enmity is opposed to the amity and familiarity which had been between the woman and the Serpent and upon that account the woman and not the man is named not but that enmity must be betwixt the
not I hearken after him but he speaks not I call but he answers not O my Lord if I had never known thee I could have lived without thee but this is my misery not so much that I am without thee as that I have lost thee many are well without thee because they never enjoyed thee the children of beggars count it not their misery that they are not Princes but oh the grief when the children of Princes shall be turned to beggars O my Lord once I had thee but now I have lost thee yea I have lost thee every jot and piece and parcel of thee O ye Apostles Where is the dead body of my Lord O Sir Angel tell me if you saw his torn his macerated crucified body O grave O death shew me is there any thing of Christ's body though but a few dead ashes in your keeping no no all is gone I can hear nothing of what I would hear death is silent the graâ—e is empty the Angels say nothing to the purpose the Apostles are fled and they I know not who have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him 2. After this Christ himself appears but first as unknown and then as known 1. As unknown She turned her self back and saw Jesus standing John 20.14 15. and knew not that it was Jesus Jesus saith unto her Woman Why weepest thou whom seekest thou she supposing him to be the Gardiner c. In this Apparition of Christ unknown I shall only take notice of Christ's queâ—â—ion anâ— Maries inquisition his question is in these words Woman Why weepest thou whom seekest thou 1. Why wâ—epest thou This very question the Angels asked her before and now Christ asks it again sure there is something in it and the rather we may think so because it is the first opening of his Mouth the first words that ever came from him after his rising again Some say that Mary Magdalen represents the state of all mâ—nkind before this day viz. One weeping over the grave of another as if there were no hope and now at his resurrection Christ comes in with weep not Woman Why weepest thou q. d. there is no cause of weeping now Lo I am risen from the dead and am become the first-fruits of them that sleep And yet we may wondâ—r at the question Why should Christ demand of Mary why she wept but a while since shâ— saw him hanging on a tree with his head full of thorns his eyes full of tears his ears full of blasphemies his mouth full of gall his whole person mangled and disfigured and doth he ask her Woman Why weepest thou scarce three dayes since she beheld his arms and legs racked with violent pulls his hands and feet bored with nails his side and bowels pierced with a spear his whole body torn with stripes and gored in blood and doth he ask her Woman Why weepest thou she saw him on the cross yielding up his soul and now she was about to anoint his body which was the only hope she had alive but his body is removed and that hope is dead and she is left hopeless of all visible help and yet doth he ask her Woman Why weepest thou O yes though it may be strange yet it is not a question without cause she weeps for him dead who was risen again from the dead she was sorry he was not in his grave and for this very cause she should have been rather glad she mourns for not knowing where he lay when as indeed and in truth he lay not any where he is alive and present and now talks with her and resolves to comfort her and therefore Woman Why weepest thou 2. Whom seekest thou she seeks Christ and Christ asks her Woman Whom seekest thou We may wonder at this also if she seek Christ Why doth she not know him or if she know Christ Why doth she seek him still O Mary Is it possible thou hast forgotten Jesus there is no part in thee but is busie about him thy eye weeps thy heart throbs thy tongue complains thy body faints thy soul languisheth and notwithstanding all this Hast thou now forgotten him What are thy sharp eyes so weak sighted that they are dazled with the Sun and blinded with the Light O yes a shower of tears comes betwixt her and him and she cannot see him or it may be Her eyes were holden that she should not know him Luke 24.16 or it may be he appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some other shape such as resemble the Gardiner whom she took him for howsoever it was She saw Jesus standing but knew not that it was Jesus and therefore saith Jesus to her Woman Why weepest thou whom seekest thou There is a double presence of Christ felt and not felt the presence felt is when Christ is graciously pleased to let us know so much and this is an heaven upon earth The presence not felt is that secret presence when Christ seems to draw us one way and to drive another way So he dealt with the Woman of Canaan he seemed to drive her away but at the same time he wrought in her by his Spirit an increase of faith and by that means drew her to himself Thus may a soul suppose Christ lost and seek and weep and weep and seek and yet Christ is present 2. For Maries enquiry She supposing him to be the Gardiner said unto him Sir If thou hast born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away In the words we may observe first her mistake 2. Her speech upon her mistake 1. Her mistake She supposing him to be the Gardiner O Mary hath Christ lived so long and laboured so much and shed so many showers of blood to come to no higher preferment than a Gardiner this was a very strange mistake and yet in some sence and a good sence too Christ might be said to be a Gardiner As 1. It is he that gardens all our souls that plants in them the seeds of righteousness that waters them with the dew of grace and makes them fruitful to eternal life 2. It is he that raised to life his own dead body and will turn all our graves into a garden-Plot Thy dead men shall live together Esa 26.19 with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for the dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Besides there is a mystery in her mistake As Adam in the state of grace and innocency was placed in a garden and the first office allotted to him was to be a Gardiner so Jesus Christ appeared first in a garden and presents himself in a Gardiners likeness And as that first Gardiner was the Parent of sin the ruine of mankind and the Author of death so is this Gardiner the ransome for our sins the raiser of our ruines and the restorer of our